Falafel & Grill was a pleasant surprise for me. It was late at night and I had a strong taste for…read moresome grilled meat and rice, so I was looking for a late night place in Yelp and came across this joint. I am familiar with the area but didn't know that this restaurant was located in this small strip mall. I pass this strip mall all the time when going to the Alamo Drafthouse for movies, but never thought about pulling into here due to the small parking lot and that it is always crowded. Walking into the restaurant, there is a kiosk where you can order your food. As it was late and I just wanted to eat and not make a lunch for tomorrow, I ordered a Spinach Pie and a Combination Meat Plate (Beef kabob, Kifta kabob, Chicken Kabob and Chicken shawarma. Served with Rice, Salad, Hummus and pita bread) so I could have leftovers to take to work the next day. I placed my order, paid for it and had to wait for about 15 minutes to get my food. While waiting, I was able to look around the restaurant to see it was clean and brightly lit. The table and floors were clean and there were a few customers dining inside. The staff was nice and friendly as well. I got my food home and was pleasantly surprised at the amount of food in the combo dish. There was a good amount of meat and rice, enough for two people easily. The combo dish is $25 but well worth it. The meat was cooked nicely and had good flavor. As good as that combo dish was, that Spinach pie was on point! The flavor was great and the dough was nice and fluffy/tasty. The food was so good that I decided to put in an order on Grubhub the next night to get it for dinner for later in the week. I wanted to place an order on Grubhub to get free delivery as a Prime member, but the online menu did not have the Spinach pies listed, so I ended up having to call into the restaurant to place my order. When you call into the restaurant, they take your number and will send you a link to pay for your order and to send them your address and delivery instructions. I ordered the same items again, but got extra Spinach pies and a Greek Salad with chicken as well. The delivery guy was nice and brought my food up to me as instructed. The salad was fresh and there was plenty of Chicken Shawarma on top of it. I ended up having that for dinner as well as one of the Spinach pies and it was delish. The Chicken Shawarma was very nice and again, this was a decent size salad and was filling along with the pie. I definitely want to go back to try some of the other dishes that they have, like the wraps and the gyro plate and/or wrap. There is a lentil soup I would also like to try as well. I would definitely recommend Falafel & Grill for eats.

Such a cute spot! There's plenty of seating both indoors and outdoors under the covered patio, and…read morethe service is quick and welcoming. The real highlight, though, is the food. We tried the chicken kabob, chicken shawarma sandwich, beef kabob, and of course a falafel--and every bite was delicious. A solid place worth visiting!

Our meal was delicious!!! Service was great very fast and…read morefresh One of the things I love is they are not far from a parking lot!!!

I ordered 2 Chicken Shawarma wraps and a beef shawarma wrap from here. It's a restaurant inside a…read moremarket. The restaurant side was very busy with a line. It moved fast, and my wraps were done way before the promised time. The wraps were decent in size, healthy filling for sure, so a great value, just not sure if wraps with tortilla are my thing when it comes to Mediterranean food. I would much rather prefer some pita bread. I also feel like both the beef and chicken lacked seasoning. The chicken was cubed as opposed to sliced strips. Overall it tasted good just not sure if I'd return anytime soon.

My favorite middle eastern food spot in Wrigley when I need something quick and tasty. The portions…read moreare huge so you'll have leftovers for days. Their chicken shawarma wrap and chicken shawarma plate are my go-to's. The staff is always nice and food comes out very quickly. It's a great place to grab a quick dinner, it's very casual inside.

I loved coming to this place. I came here at 5:00pm for my first meal of the day. The food and the…read moreportions revived me. I'll definitely be coming back. The service was great, and the environment is really fun on game days.

A red awning with a cypress tree covering the entrance to one of Chicago's famous…read more"hole-in-the-wall" urban eateries and all that announces the presence of one of the city's best Lebanese/Mediterranean restaurants. This place has all the staples you expect in Levant cuisine, and best of all, they do everything well! I love this place because it's no frills, inexpensive, quick, and SO GOOD. The hummus is fantastic, and the falafel is some of the best I've had, but my hands down favourite item is the Chicken Shwarma Wrap. That's the winner for me. The crew here was very accommodating with catering when we had a company event... and I watched a huge tray of wraps disappear in what seemed like minutes, so I can attest they were popular with our attendees. This place is truly are more than meets the eye.

In this day and age, even though the prices have gone up at Taste of Lebanon, they're still okay…read morecompared to other places making similar food. I enjoyed my beef shawarma over baba ghanoush plate, ~$11 (it made quite a filling lunch!) although I would've loved if they'd thrown some pickled veg in there. The beef shawarma is a bit different from shawarma I've had elsewhere--almost ground beef-like in texture--but the flavor was pretty good. Their baba ghanoush is also creamier than others I've had, seems quite similar to their hummus, with a lot of tahini mixed in maybe? I didn't love their chicken shawarma wrap in the past, but that might be because I'm not that into their hot sauce. I'd love to get their veggie platter sometime! Service is friendly and quick. Cash only.

Everything came out to about $57 after tip and I was SO full. Such a solid, affordable casual spot…read more You order at the counter but they bring the food to your table, which I liked. The pita and hummus were good, I just wish it didn't have olive oil on top. The chicken shawarma was surprisingly good. The kebabs were the real stars though. My ranking of favorites to least: lamb, steak, chicken. The steak was a little too hard for me and the chicken tasted normal, not super juicy, but the lamb was definitely my favorite. The rice was AMAZING. So flavorful and comforting. The cheesecake was great by itself, but the Dubai chocolate on top tasted a little stale. Overall, such a nice casual Mediterranean spot in Chicago. I'm excited to come back in the morning because their lattes and bagels look so good.

We were in the area and I was craving some shawarma and stumbled upon this little gem…read more My partner got the gyro plate and we agreed we could've shared that together! Portions were huge. Rice was super flavorful as was the gyro meat. We both agreed this dish was the star! The pita bread was fluffy but crispy at the same time. I got the Mediterranean chicken shawarma salad and it was flavorful! The chicken itself was kind of dry but it tasted great. Salad was fresh and light. Excellent quality of ingredients. Got a baklava because it was staring me in the face; yummy but very honey forward. Not my favorite but not the worst, probably would just try something else next time. The restaurant itself was very simple, nothing to see except the menu and the kitchen. The service was great and it came out crazy quick. The cashier was personable and the kitchen staff seemed chill. Definitely a good spot to try!

What an adorable little gem in Lincoln Park!! My friends and I stopped in for a weekend lunch, and…read morenot only did we enjoy the food and service, but the decor was breathtaking! The tile work and lighting were mesmerizing and made this such a cozy dining experience! My friends and I loved enjoyed an assortment of plates to share, my favorite being the Yaya Breakfast. And we also tried a few of the pastries! I highly recommend snagging a reservation if you can!

I'd heard amazing things about this casual spot from the team behind Galit and had been dying to…read morevisit for a while! I was on a mission this time to secure some of their sought after and unique pastries. The staff were very nice and kindly provided recommendations. There's a 25% service fee included with purchases, but they're also very upfront and transparent before checking out, which I appreciated. I opted for the shakshuka focaccia and the baklava, both of which came highly recommended. Unfortunately, the focaccia came out slightly burned and the soft-boiled egg in the center was definitely hard boiled and dry. I wished there was a bit more flavor with the spices and sauce as well, but the bread itself was fluffy. The baklava, however, was buttery perfection and among the best I've ever had. It's also possibly the sweetest dessert I've ever tasted, so a little goes a long way. Definitely glad to have gotten to give this spot a try- the food menu looked really interesting, so I would return to give it a try.

I'm very happy that I closed out my visit to Chi-City at this amazing gastronomy destination! Made…read morea last minute reservation, and the magic unfolded. Beverages: 5/5. I don't see the drink I ordered online and I forgot to take a picture of the menu. That said, it was a superbly blended craft cocktail with whiskey. Cuisine: 5/5. The stuffed chicken was recommended by the waiter and it was superb! Flavorful, filling, and just the perfect meal after walking miles around the city. The milk pudding was a solid closer, but I'd probably order one of their other desserts next time. Service: 5/5. Efficient, which was impressive, given the dinner rush. Ambiance: 5/5. Classy space, nothing to dislike. Buen provecho.

I have since returned twice for dinner. We had a lovely meal 3 years ago and returned lat night…read morereminiscing about it. We found the service to be incredible - warm, sincere, helpful. The staff genuinely cared to deliver a positive dining experience. Our water glasses were always refilled (so many restaurants these days don't do it). The menu is marked so well for allergens - my friend is vegan and I am vegetarian gluten-free - I was able to enjoy the soup, appetizers, and salads. They prepared a vegan cous cous for my friend. I recalled the salads being better - it was mostly greens with very little of walnuts/ beans, etc - the other ingredients that had previously made these wholesome and enjoyable. I might suggest cutting back on overall size of the salad but not on the ratios of the recipe. The soup was flavorful and they provided me with gluten-free bread. And my friend absolutely loved the cous cous - generous portions, flavorful spices. My husband had had the lamb shank last time which he found a bit dry. Last night he gobbled up the stuffed chicken delightedly.

I got takeout from this place for my friend and I, and I was surprised by the quality and taste of…read moreour mix and match plates (shawarma meat and chicken). It tasted really good, and they give you a decent amount. I really wish they gave a little more sauce though, considering there were two full plates that we ordered. I do love all of the 4 sauces they provide, just wish they gave a bit more in quantity. All in all, this is an awesome place to have nearby. I'll be back!

Friendly sand caring staff and yummy food! Easy place to grab lunch while working. A handful of…read morebarstool height tables to eat at.

Came as a solo diner after having tried Cafe Yaya. Absolutely delicious and a HUGE amount of food…read morefor one (they're meant to be sharing portions so for one I had plenty of leftovers, which were delicious the next day). The wait staff were SO sweet and did warn me about the portions so I didn't fill myself up too early! I could eat that hummus by itself with a spoon and be perfectly happy. LOVE the tiny little tasty side dishes! The highlights for me were the foie gras and the lamb chops, which were a special item: they were so tasty and juicy in their sauce and absolutely perfectly cooked. There were protestors outside who screamed at people coming in and out of the restaurant, but honestly obnoxious people like that just make me want to come back and support Galit MORE, not less.

Galit offers a cozy four course meal that is both creative and filling. When we arrived, our table…read morewas not ready so we were seated at the bar. Service was fine but not overly warm, and since it was our first time, we found ourselves asking about the menu rather than having it introduced. The menu starts with a shared hummus. We had the bubbe's brisket, which was very tender, along with four sides to mix and dip with pita. For the second course, we chose the kubbeh halab and beef tongue. The kubbeh halab, a fried dumpling with lamb, was flavorful and came with some dill and brown sauce, that worked well together. The beef tongue was extremely tender and paired nicely with its rich sauce. The stuffed cabbage with rice was a bit plain compared to the other dishes. For mains, we had the barramundi and lobster. Both were cooked well. The sweet potato purée with the barramundi did not work as well with the beurre blanc since the textures were too similar, and there was a bit too much sauce. The lobster stood out with a citrus sauce and slices of blood orange, and paired nicely with the parsnip purée. Worth the additional $20. For dessert, we had the malabi, which was described to us like a panna cotta. The citrus topping was a bit too tart, so this was probably my least favorite course. Overall, really good execution on their meats and seafood. We would come back and try other dishes. They also offer a happy hour with some dishes available à la carte.

This place is right off the Damen brown line stop. Down the block from Lawrence Ave. It used to be…read morea different restaurant a couple of years ago and it shut down, but a couple bought it and revamped the spot. It was three of us meeting for dinner and some drinks. My friend had white wine, hubby had an Espressotini, and I the watermelon-cucumber marg. We ordered the cauliflower ceviche, the Cauliflower wings, and the Brussels sprouts as appetizer. Then as an entree, my friend had the Jalisco Burger, hubby had the Salmon, and I a Salmon Caesar Salad. I personally loved the salad and the appetizers were great. Everyone else ate ALL their food, so I assume they also enjoyed it. The location was actually having an 80s night and there was a Dj and space for dancing. There were some people there dress for the themed night and it was just a great vibe. Talking with our friend and eating made us lose track of time and then it was time to leave but before we did, we met one of the owners who actually recommended I come by and visit. (Shoutout to Marcos ) He is the most warm and sunny person, and he was so grateful we actually came by. We had a shot and honestly I'd come back because of him. He told us a little bit about him, his family and about the restaurant backstory. I truly recommend you coming here, you will have a great time. Oh, and almost forgot, they have outside sitting, so you know it will be a great time when you just want to have an outside patio vibe with friends and some drinks. P.s. As you can tell, there are only two pictures. I was so, involved in the moment with my friend's stories and then the appetizers came and nothing else mattered. We all lost track of time and just enjoyed the vibe, the beautiful night, and time with friends, drinks, and food. Oh and 80s music.

I stopped by Monday since they were donating 15% of tabs to The Friendship Center food pantry. I'd…read morebeen meaning to come by since they so generously donated mac and cheese to them for the Thanksgiving meals for the hungry in our community. It's a nice place. Kind of a sports bar but seems a little nicer than your average storeys bar. Service was friendly and helpful. I got the vegetarian ceviche, and it was delicious! It was served with aioli and a healing serving of chips. I've never eaten seafood and been vegetarian for over 30 years, but my boyfriend had a taste and also thought it was good and said they got the right flavor profile. He got the burger and tots and said both were very good. I'll definitely be back!